Indonesia and Australia sign defense agreement, a major upgrade in military relations

On August 29, 2024, Indonesia and Australia signed a defense agreement at the Magelang Military Academy in Central Java Province, Indonesia. Indonesian Defense Minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles attended the signing ceremony.

Marles said that although the text of the agreement has not been released yet, this is “an important international architecture, a treaty-level agreement” and not a military alliance. He also revealed that the two countries plan to hold the largest joint military exercise in history in November, which will also be Australia's largest overseas exercise this year. Against the background of increasingly tense relations with China in the region, bilateral relations are becoming increasingly important for Australia. The new prime minister of Australia usually takes Jakarta as one of the first overseas destinations for visits.

Subianto vowed to continue Indonesia's long-standing non-alignment policy during his presidency. He said that both sides are doing this to work together as neighbors and increase cooperation to deal with various security threats and promote sustainable peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Australian Department of Defense said that the agreement will include strengthening practical cooperation and interoperability between the defense forces of the two countries in areas such as maritime security, counter-terrorism, humanitarian and disaster relief, logistical support, education and training, and the defense industry. Marles emphasized that this is the most important defense agreement in the history of bilateral relations between the two countries. The Indonesian Ministry of Defense also said that the agreement will help prevent future security threats in the Asia-Pacific region by working together to maintain peace and stability.